Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Lara

I try not to waddle as I walk into the cabin.

The word cabin does not do this house justice. Being in the dark last time and then caught up in everything the next day, I never stopped to take in the house and land.

It's beautiful.

Lush trees of all colors frame the road on either side, the forest running long and deep. The wooden house sits on the edge of Cromwell Lake, a dock not too far away.

The kind of vacation home people dream of.

The inside is cozy and homey. Large chairs covered in blankets fill the living space. An image of Michael and me snuggled under the red blanket on the chair by the fire makes me smile .

"We'd do more than snuggle." Michael winks, touching the red blanket as we pass.

"Michael!" I hiss, looking around to see if anyone heard.

"You have my cum dripping out of your ass, and you're shy because I want to fuck you in front of a log fire? You're adorable." He laughs, pulling me close and kissing the side of my head.

I move away, unsure how he feels about me being so close.

The truck had been . . . something else. But he may not want to be touched when we're not in the throes of passion.

"There you two are." Kaleb smiles. "Thought I would have to come tow your truck down here."

Michael flips his brother off. "My truck works just fine." He grins.

Kaleb points at Michael, the knife in his hand gleaming under the incandescent lights. "I knew it!" He shakes his head.

Oh God.

A sound of embarrassment leaves me. Raising my hands, I cover my face, mortified. Kaleb chuckles, but I feel Michael step forward, the heat of him calming my body. It never fails to react to him.

At the light brush of his lips on the tip of my nose, I squint at him through a gap in my fingers.

"We've done nothing wrong," Michael reassures me.

My mind wonders at his words. Haven't we ?

His face darkens. "We've done nothing wrong," he insists, his tone demanding that I believe him . . . so I do.

What happened needs to stay in the past. I can't let it ruin whatever this is, what it could be. Michael was protecting me. That's all that matters.

I take Michael's outstretched hand but step back to leave a gap between our bodies.

Looking at the space between us, he smiles, releasing my hand. His fingers are confident as they slide along the small of my back and onto my hip. His grip is forceful, bringing me closer until I'm glued to his side.

His thumb brushes back and forth on the sliver of skin where Charlie's borrowed top doesn't quite reach the band of the black leggings. My body responds instantly.

Will I ever not want this man?

Kaleb and a petite brunette stand at the kitchen island chopping tomatoes. She's beautiful, her smile bright, and her eyes shine as the two laugh together.

"Who brought food?" Michael asks, gesturing to the mostly prepped food spread over the countertop.

No one answers verbally, but Kaleb waves his knife slightly.

"Thanks." Michael smiles, not mentioning the food we picked up. That's probably best since most of it is rolling around the floorboard of his truck. They don't want to eat that.

My face heats at how it got there .

His large hand pats my ass. Is he thinking the same thing?

Worth the loss. I grin, flicking my eyes to his face and looking away quickly.

How had I only met this man a few days ago? My chest fills with something I don't want to acknowledge. It's not normal. What I saw him do wasn't normal, yet my grin doesn't slip as I peek at him again.

"Well, that's better. I'll take a smile over tears any day," Christopher cheers, raising his drink as he joins us in the kitchen, his wife, Daniel and baby Belle, who is still strapped to her daddy's chest, follow close.

"We'd like you to join us at the county clerk's office tomorrow," Michael announces as if this isn't a surprise to me either.

Everyone freezes, including me.

"I've asked Judge Greene to meet us there and marry us. He's agreed. I put a call into Molly. She wants us there a few hours beforehand to fill out and file the paperwork so she can sort the marriage license while the judge performs the wedding."

Upside of small towns is people make things happen, I guess.

"There's a park across the street. It's pretty," he reassures me, like that's the problem.

I try to shy away from everyone's eyes, but Michael won't let me. His hold stays tight.

The whole room just stares at us, their eyes moving between Michael and me .

Helen screams, rushing forward to envelop me in a hug so tight I practically feel my bones shift.

"Congratulations, baby," she whispers to Michael over my shoulder.

One by one, I'm passed around the group, each welcoming me to the family.

No one hugs Michael, not until Daniel approaches him.

Passing Belle off to the woman who I assume is her mother, Daniel grips hold of Michael's neck. The two lock eyes silently.

The loud, boisterous noise of the kitchen fades as I watch the two connect.

After a few minutes, the larger man pulls his younger brother in, hugging him like his life depends on it. By the time they separate, I'm not the only one in tears.

"You get used to it," the small brunette whispers. "Their bond," she clarifies. "Charlie." She offers her hand.

"Charlotte," Daniel corrects in his growly voice.

Charlie rolls her eyes. "My husband is the only one who really calls me that."

"Lara." I smile, shaking her hand.

"How's the foot?" Helen asks, joining us.

"Oh, perfect. Stopped hurting a few days after I left here," I say, wiggling it to show I'm as good as new.

"You're perfect," she praises, framing my face .

Tears fill my eyes. Why couldn't my own mother be like her?

"What happened to your foot?" Charlie frowns, handing Belle off to her insistent grandmother. According to Helen's grin, this is exactly what she had planned when she came here.

"Samantha," Michael tuts. "Speaking of, where is she?"

"Upstairs," Helen says quietly. "She and your father argued about her grounding, and Kaleb ended up taking her upstairs for a talking-to."

"She was being a brat, so she gets a time-out," Kaleb calls over, picking the knife back up. "Let's eat, shall we? Celebrate my brother getting married."

"You're next." Christopher laughs, pointing his beer bottle at Kaleb.

"Fuck, no," he protests.

But I see the way his mouth lifts slightly.

Belle draws my attention, squealing and babbling to her Uncle Michael. Stepping closer, I sigh as the heat of his hand sears my ass. My body really does crave this man like nothing else. Michael reaches out to take Belle, kissing her cheek as he brings her to his chest. Seeing how gentle and loving he is, I know I won't be able to fight him and his demands for a future for much longer.

The murder that happened last night is one problem. My heart is another.